State champion Simon Wagner was also unbeatable for the competition in the almost home race (his co-driver Gerald Winter is from Carinthia). However, it didn’t look like it for a long time. On the first five special stages, Neubauer and Wagner fought a duel of seconds before the Upper Austrian suddenly fell behind by more than a minute because he was too late to start. With three stages to go, Neubauer was still 58 seconds ahead, but then slipped into a barrier and couldn’t get out. After Salzburg’s retirement, the way was clear for Wagner to win for the fourth time in the fourth race of the season.
“I’m so sorry for Herman. We both showed once again how high the level we are in Austrian rallying,” said Wagner after the rally. In the ÖRM, the 29-year-old is in the lead with 112 points, with Günther Knobloch from Styria in second place (48 points ) Kris Rosenberger is third with 42 points.
Two weeks ago we conducted a detailed podcast interview with the state champion:
Julian Wagner also leads in the ÖRM
Simon’s brother Julian has three points fewer in the 2WD classification. The younger Wagner also won all four races of the season in his class. At the Sankt Veit Rally, the Opel Corsa R4 driver fought a split-second duel with Fabian Zeiringer. “Fabian did a great job here. I’m all the more pleased that I won again. The rally was super nice and very challenging,” said Wagner after the rally. Addendum: “If you only look at the result lists, it naturally looks as if everything is clear. But anyone who has followed the rallies a bit knows how close it really is.”
On the 15th/16th July we continue with the Weiz Rally. Then the Wagner brothers could each fix the state championship title.
Photographer captured by rally cars
Two accidents threatened to overshadow the rally in Carinthia. Albert von Thun und Taxis got off the road with his rally car and hit a photographer next to the road with his rear end. The 32-year-old from Lower Austria was taken to the Klagenfurt Clinic by helicopter with a broken forearm, a broken jaw and a laceration to the head. According to Michael Uschan (chairman of the organizing club), he is now awake again, speaks clearly and is able to remember everything. In the coming week he is to be transferred from Klagenfurt to his home in the Waldviertel.
The second victim of the accident, a 53-year-old competitor who left the track with his vehicle, suffered a broken ulna and radius. According to his own statements, he is doing well, said the Styrian.
Source: Nachrichten
